


Equivocal

by Cass_iopeia



Series: Unconformities [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angry teenagers, Being a teenager is hard, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Chronic Illness, F/F, Gloria straight up not having a good time, Implied/Referenced Character Death, It's Hard and Nobody Understands, M/M, Masaru | Victor and Yuuri | Gloria are Twins, Parental Oleana, Past Character Death, Pokemon Journey, Power Imbalance, Rose | Chairman Rose Being an Asshole, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, author is trans too (for whatever that's worth), but at the same time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:14:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29291205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cass_iopeia/pseuds/Cass_iopeia
Summary: Equivocal[əˈkwivək(ə)l]Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.----“The thing about Gloria’s past…it’s not much of an origin story. More like a big pile of baggage she is expected to drag along with her. A saint, but not a martyr.”“I’d rather catch bullets with my crooked teeth,” She said acidly. “Than hear you talk about me with your saccharine prose.”- -There was a shackle around Gloria’s neck, wrought of gilded iron, the leash wrapped around a body in a hospital bed.(Or Gloria’s pokémon journey under the threatening shadow of Chairman Rose.)
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Hop, Mary | Marnie/Yuuri | Gloria, Masaru | Victor & Yuuri | Gloria, Olive | Oleana & Yuuri | Gloria, Rurina | Nessa/Sonia
Series: Unconformities [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2151153
Comments: 12
Kudos: 17





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Happy valentines day! I wanted to write something cute and it turned into.....this.

Date: January 19th, XX19

Gloria didn’t want to watch the stupid video.

She didn’t want to look at Rose’s simpering, smug face while he talked about how wonderful he made the Galar region, all sharp suits and infuriating braggadocio.

Leon used to tell her not to let it get to her, that it just made him know that he got under her skin, but Gloria didn’t care. She wanted her rage to wash over him like a wildfire, to engulf him completely until he was choking on smoke, and his skin blistered and bubbled—

She bit her thumb hard enough for a small bead of blood to well up and resisted the urge to throw herself off the roof.

-

It was cold, cold, cold!

Cold enough for Gloria’s knees, nose, and the apples of her cheeks to flush red. Her boots were fitted with spiked cleats to keep herself from slipping on the icy road as she trudged into town. It had rained the previous night, and everything was covered in a thin layer of ice as a result. Even the wooloo were shivering.

Gloria hiked her fleece socks up higher, her bare legs skinny and trembling in the cold. She was almost there anyway, the purple roof of Mrs. Sonia’s lab looming in the distance, right in front of the pokémon center. She breathed into her gloved hands and patted at her face, some of the numbness creeping away.

To her building annoyance, there was a crowd in front of the station, completely blocking the path leading up to the berry stand, a great throng of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder like this was a fucking concert or something. She found it a perfect time to let some of them know that she had spikes attached to the bottom of her shoes and she _will_ be using them as a deadly weapon if no one _gets out of her way._

“Watch it girl!” One of them yelped as she scraped their ankles on the way through.

She smiled disarmingly. “Oh I’m sorry! I just need to get through to the store. Sorry for the trouble.”

“Oh! Not a problem! Sorry dear.” It was the clerk from the pokémon center, she realized with a start, a cherrim sitting on his shoulder. But he didn’t seem to recognize her in turn.

_Had it really been that long?_

She waved him off, and finally breached the exterior of the crowd, arriving at her destination. She curled her lip at the abomination next to it.

The glass and steel building stood tall among the humble cottages and hand-built storefronts that made up Wedgehurst, sticking out like a silver stake of conglomeration. Encroaching on _her town—_

There was a sudden commotion by the station that made her look over.

Grand Champion Leon stood proud as a Pyroar, showboating for the clamoring crowd, his Charizard meting the ice around it into slush and water.

A flash of purple hair appeared in the crowd, and in a panic, Gloria flung herself into a nearby bush.

_Him, him, why was he here?!_

It was too cold to sit in her hiding spot for long, the frozen mulch getting stuck in her dress, but they finally left on the back of Leon’s Charizard, Hop chattering on about something inane no doubt.

_I miss him._

Gloria’s tinkling ringtone went off, and rotom zipped out of her bag, her sleek, black phone coming to float in front of her.

“Rotom, who is that?” She asked softly, standing up and brushing her knees off.

“Bzzt, Oleana Betony.”

Gloria growled and snatched it out of the air.

“Sorry Rotom.” She muttered, before swiping to accept the call.

“I will be landing in Wedgehurst in an hour with your new pokémon, Gloria.” Oleana said, not bothering with pleasantries, her voice bland and severe. “Your latest aptitude test matched you with a lab bred scorbunny. When you receive it, it will be level five, and know the moves tackle, growl, ember, and sucker punch. In addition, it will also have the hidden ability libero.”

 _A winner’s pokémon._ Gloria thought viciously, the case of her phone creaking under her tightening grip.

“Chairman Rose expects you to make your way through the wild area and to Motostoke within a week and a half. Any later and the scorbunny will be taken away.”

“Yes Dr. Betony.” Gloria droned. If she weren’t wearing black gloves, there would be perfect little crescent shaped gouges in her hand. “Anything else?”

Oleana hesitated for a brief second. “Chairman Rose would also like to know who the Champion is sponsoring this year. Mr. Leon took a registry form a few weeks ago, as well as a letter of approval.”

Gloria swallowed. “Of course, Dr. Betony.”

“As a reminder, please be aware that your phone is monitored at all times, and phone calls and text messages are recorded. Have a lovely morning Gloria, I will be there shortly.”

The line went dead.

If there weren’t a pokémon inside her phone, and she wasn’t in public, Gloria would’ve flung it to the concrete in a fit of rage. Instead, she murmured another apology to rotom, before stowing it into her bag.

“I want…” She intoned to the gray, clouded sky.

A fat snowflake landed on her nose.

She really wished she brought a jacket.

-

Oleana arrived at the pokémon center exactly when she said she would, Gloria huddled over by the PC. Oleana was wearing a heavy woolen peacoat in deep inky black over a jade-green turtleneck sweater. Gloria snickered quietly to herself, imagining Oleana slipping on the ice in her needle-thin stilettos.

“Something amusing, Gloria?” Oleana sniped. She was holding a box in her hands tied with a red silk ribbon.

“Not particularly, no.” Gloria said lightly, smiling demurely. “I presume that is the pokémon I was promised?”

“I see you haven’t lost any of that cheek.” Oleana muttered, and pinched Gloria’s nose sharply.

Gloria scowled like an unruly kid but didn’t dare slap her hand away.

Oleana sighed and released her hold on Gloria’s nose. “How are you sleeping? Eating?”

Like a baby, like a royal.” Gloria answered easily, her eyes flitting to the box, and glittering greedily.

“The truth.”

Gloria’s smiled dropped. “Just give me the damn box.”

In a childish impulse, Oleana held it above her head. “No. We will go out to eat lunch first. You looked like a starving waif.”

Gloria smiled, all teeth. “No I—”

Her stomach gurgled loudly.

A smirk flitted over Oleana’s mouth. “You were saying?”

“….There’s a café near the station.” Gloria muttered.

“Lovely.” Oleana held out her hand. “Come along.”

Gloria flushed—She was 14 damn it!—but reluctantly let Oleana pull her along like a child.

Gloria doesn’t go into town very often anymore, just enough to make sure that she didn’t starve. The rest of the time was spent brooding in the Weald, keeping vigil by Victor’s bedside, or doing whatever shitty job Rose had for her.

Rose! Now there was a person Gloria hated more than herself!

Oleana snapped her fingers in front of Gloria’s face making her flinch.

“Calm down. You’re making a face.” She said.

Gloria was suddenly aware of the ugly scowl wrinkling her brow.

“My apologies, Doctor.” She said, her face smoothing into a pleasant, simpering expression.

Oleana curled her lip. “He can’t hear us.” She said. “I took out the bug in both of our phones.”

Gloria looked at her warily. “What a strange thing to say, Doctor." She said lightly. "Who would bug our rotom phones?”

They had stopped in front of the café, and Gloria wiggled out of Oleana’s grip.

Oleana sighed, and tilted her head up before reciting, “My name is Oleana Bishop Betony, I am 27 years old, and I fucking hate the Pokémon League Chairman Oscar Asphodel Rose. Given the chance I would’ve quit long ago, but the pay is outstanding, and I get special privileges.” She glanced at Gloria. “Rose has no ears here. Please feel free to speak freely.”

Gloria scowled suspiciously, but let her posture relax slightly. “Fine.” She kicked at the concrete, her boot chipping some of the ice that had formed there. “I woke up late, didn’t eat breakfast, watched Rose’s _stupid_ promotional video for the Gym Challenge, and had to jump into a _bush_ to avoid my childhood friend so he wouldn’t bombard me with questions about _where I’ve been_ for the past 5 years and what the _fuck_ happened to Victor!” Gloria’s voice grew shriller with every word, until she was grinding her boot into the ground and gritting her teeth.

Oleana placed a warm, comforting hand on her shoulder, and Gloria leaned into it. “Tell me about it over lunch.”

-

Gloria had scarfed down her 3rd sandwich by the time her stomach stopped growling at her.

“My word,” Oleana said snidely, sipping her wildly inappropriate 3pm wine. “Hungry, are we?”

“Can it, _mum_.” Gloria said through a mouthful of bread and lettuce.

“Now is that any way to speak to your mother?” She said mildly.

“My mum didn’t day drink.”

Oleana swirled her glass. “An aunt then. A cool aunt with gifts.” She slid the box containing the pokémon over to her.

A _pokémon of my very own._

Gloria remembered her mum’s old munchlax, that would eat their dinner scraps and scare the skwovet that nibbled on their crops, and Victor’s small colony of budew that would waft their fragrant aroma throughout the house during the spring.

Roses used to smell like home.

The ribbon unwrapped easily, and the box fell apart, leaving a glass case behind, a single pokéball sitting inside.

“One more thing.” Oleana said and placed a package on the table. “I thought you would like this.”

“Thanks, auntie.” She said dryly.

Gloria peered at it curiously and crammed the rest of her food into her mouth before tearing it open. She promptly choked.

A red dress sat on the top of the pile, silky, and beautiful, with a ribbon tied into a bow cinching the waist. A set of lacy black gloves was tucked into one of the skirt folds, a pair of black pumps tucked into the other side. Underneath it all, was a black bag with gold fastenings, the material soft, shiny, and expensive.

“Oleana I can’t accept this—”

“Yes, you can. I’m giving it to you.”

“How much did you _spend_ —”

“Company credit card.”

“Arceus, Auntie….”

Gloria peeled her glove off, and ran her hand over the dress again, the fabric delicate and luxuriant against the rough, calloused skin of her hand.

“A beautiful girl deserves a beautiful dress.” Oleana said.

Gloria’s eyes widened.

_Beautiful…I’m beautiful…!_

Gloria felt her throat constrict, and her traitorous eyes start to well up with tears that she didn’t bother to brush away. She sniffed a fixed a watery gaze on the woman sitting across from her.

“How dare you make me cry in _public_ over a _dress_.” Glora said with a watery smile.

“Now don’t do that.” Oleana chided playfully, and handed her a napkin.

Gloria dabbed at her eyes, and blew her nose loudly, causing a couple a few seats down to glare at her. 

“They’re jealous.” Oleana whispered conspiratorially, and Gloria giggled.

-

Oleana dropped Gloria off at her house, tucking a lunchbox into her arms full of more sandwiches, and a few thousand pokken.

Gloria’s house was cold and barren.

The ivy that her mother used to cultivate was shriveled and brown, Gloria trying and failing to bring it back to life. The garden was long dead, just a barren flat of dirt, Victor’s budew now kept in the PC.

The door creaked loudly when she opened it, and she made mental note for the thousandth time to try and fix it later.

As usual, the kitchen was empty, save for the frozen microwave meals haphazardly piled in the freezer, and the lunchboxes Oleana would thrust onto her when she felt that Gloria wasn’t getting enough food. She stuck the one in her arms with the rest on the counter and padded to the bathroom to take a shower.

She emerged 30 minutes later, steaming and her hair wrapped in a towel as she changed into a plain white shirt and shorts. Taking a deep breath. She knocked on Victor’s door.

The same nurse from two days ago answered her with a pleasant, if very plastic, smile.

“Please wash your hands before you enter.” The nurse said placidly, offering her a bottle of hand sanitizer.

Victor looked small, swallowed up by his blankets, wires and tubes sticking out of him like a pincushion. Gloria gently pulled off her filthy boots and slipped her feet into the slippers by the door, well worn from her previous visits. Her old red hoodie was draped over a chair, when she would sit at vigil while the sun sank below the horizon.

Rose really spared no expense on the both of them. The finest medical staff in the region, top of the line care, nurses taking care of Victor around the clock, the vitamins and HRT Gloria was instructed to take every morning…it was a lot.

“Hey Vic.” She muttered, sitting down. “I went out to lunch with Oleana today. She gave me my first pokémon too,”

She paused, and took a deep breath. “…but I’m too nervous to open the pokéball.” She admitted.

She clasped his hand in hers. “I saw Hop today, too. He met Leon at the station while I was in town. I think he’s gonna try and convince Leon to let him do the Gym Challenge this year.”

She curled her lip. “Pah, fat load of help he’s gonna be, It just means I’m….” She trailed off. “Damn, I’ll have to see him again.”

As usual, Victor said nothing.

She patted his hand and stood up. “Well, and much as I’d like to stay and chat some more, I have to get to know my new scorbunny.”

To her shock, something in her bag _rattled._

“Fuck!” She yelped, and flailed to pull it off, clutching Oleana’s present to her chest protectively as she watched her bag hit the floor.

It was silent for all of two seconds, before something flashed brightly, and a bundle of white fur came tumbling out of her bag, an empty pokéball rolling to a stop next to it. It looked up at her with startlingly intelligent black eyes that reflected Gloria’s shocked expression back at her. She was transfixed, as they stared at each other, the scorbunny cautiously edging closer, it’s legs tensed, ready to flee.

“No, no, no!” A voice thundered, breaking the spell, and they both jumped.

The nurse had returned, her hands on her hips as she glared at them.

“No pokémon in the patient’s room!” She demanded. “Take it, and get out of here!”

Before Gloria could process what was happening, the nurse had grabbed her roughly by the arm, and the scorbunny tucked under the nurses’ elbow.

“What the fuck!” Gloria snapped as she was unceremoniously dumped outside, her scorbunny dropped next to her with a squeak.

“If I see even a _speck_ of pokémon dander I am _personally_ contacting the chairman to ensure you never step foot in here again!”

A thrum of fear shot down Gloria’s spine. “You can’t do that!” She cried desperately.

The nurse glowered and slammed the door.

“Wait! YOU CAN’T DO THAT!” She demanded. “HEY! ANSWER ME! YOU CAN’T DO THAT!”

The door remained stubbornly shut, and she heard the click of a lock.

“Fuck!” She swung her fist into the doorframe.

Her hand stung.

She shook her hand out and stormed outside, the scorbunny hot on her heels.

She barely made it out the front door before she felt a scream tearing out of her lungs.

She was so sick of this! She couldn’t lose him, not after this, not after everything else!

“ARGH! This isn’t fucking fair! Why does this keep happening to me?!” She demanded, and angrily kicked the fence blocking off the Slumbering Weald. The wood splintered under her foot and she stomped into the Weald, intending to cool off.

She muttered curses under her breath, her heavy stomps startling and scaring off anything that would’ve approached her. They all know who she is anyway, she's been here enough times.

When her vision finally cleared itself of red, she was in a clearing, at the edge of a fog bank. Her hair was wild and frizzy from the humidity, and her face was flushed an angry, ugly red. She took a deep breath, and sighed forcefully, deflating in on herself.

This was stupid. The first sign of adversity and what does she do? Throw a temper tantrum and run off into the woods. Very mature.

Something tugged at her sock.

“Oh!”

The scorbunny was staring at her with wide, intelligent eyes.

“Sorry! Shite first impression, I know.” She said sheepishly and crouched down to it’s level. “I promise I’m not a basket case or something.”

The scorbunny stared at her.

“It’s….a phrase my mum used to use. She lived in Unova for a few years. Almost lost her accent too! It was pretty funny when she showed me videos.”

Her face turned bitterly wistful. “She’s not around anymore. Died 5 years ago when me and Vic were 10. Same accident that landed Victor in the hospital. Hasn’t woken up since.”

She reached out a hand, and when scorbunny didn’t flinch, she gently stroked it’s ears. “Y’know, you’re really easy to talk to. What’s it like, growing up in a lab, huh?”

It sneezed.

Curiously, Gloria reached for her bag, only to realize she left it in Victor’s room.

“Tch. Bitter old hag, she better let me in to get my bag. Your pokéball is in there too.” She muttered acidly.

A branch snapped behind her.

Gloria moved on instinct, whirling into a crouch, her fists raised in front of her chest.

While she was absorbed in her one-sided conversation, the fog had rolled in even thicker than before, obscuring the figure in front of her.

“Who’s there?!” She demanded. “Say something or I’ll, I’ll—!”

Scorbunny made a loud squeaking sound, and the air in front of it warmed slightly before it fired off an explosive ember.

The figure squawked, diving out of the way.

“What the hell!? Holly, water gun!”

A jet of freezing cold water soaked where scorbunny was previously standing. It jumped nimbly to the side, and onto Gloria’s back making her squawk. The next water gun hit her square in the face making Gloria squeeze her eyes shut and stumble forward.

“Fucking cheap shot!” She shouted into the fog. “Fight me like a normal person, gods damn it!”

“N-no!” The person shouted back. He sounded vaguely familiar. “I just wanted to talk! You attacked first!”

“Your stupid water type hit me in the face, I think we’re even.” She growled. Something rustled to her right, and she jumped up, her fist hitting something hard.

“OW!” They yelled and hit the dirt.

“What the fuck are you doing out here.” She said flatly, approaching them. “it’s off-limits out here you kno—”

Her breath hitched as she stared at the boy sprawled out on the ground in front of her.

Hop stared up at her, clutching his eye, glaring at her. His gaze faltered.

“Schilly?” he asked softly.

“H-H—”

Scorbunny came up and kicked him in the side.

“Oi?! What the hell, I’m already down!” Hop demanded, his face twisting into a scowl again.

“Scorbunny, knock it off.” She said distantly.

Reluctantly, scorbunny returned to Gloria’s side, clutching onto her leg.

“W-wow. You look…. _different_.” He stuttered, slowly rising to his feet.

“It’s the hormones.” Gloria said flatly, trying to calm her racing heart. “What the fuck are you doing out here?”

Wooloo.” He said dumbly, still transfixed with her. he blinked. “Um! There was a wooloo! Something destroyed the gate and a wooloo wandered down here…”

Gloria recalled the sensation of her crushing the old, brittle wood underfoot in her anger.

_Whoops._

Hop narrowed his eyes at her silence. “That was you, wasn’t it?”

“…I plead the fifth.” She muttered.

“We’re not in Unova!”

A small laugh bubbled out of her throat, before she clamped a hand over her mouth. “…I have no idea what you’re talking about. The gate was broken when I found it.”

“Liar.” He said flatly, but a small smile was starting to creep over his face.

Disgustingly, Gloria laughed again, unable to get control over herself.

Hop was here. Everything would be okay.

“So, um, the wooloo?” Gloria asked weakly.


	2. Ch 1: Four Years, and it Helped me Changes Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon sighed, used to her whiplash-inducing attitude. Gloria carefully laid to rest the sharp edges of her anger, pumice against her rough exterior, polishing it into something palatable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SINNOH REMAKES I AM LOOKING ASKDL;FASHFWA  
> anyway, enjoy the chapter

_“We’re looking for something important.” Rose said over the phone. “Something that only you can find. Can you do that for me, Gloria?”_

_Gloria would cut her hand off if it meant Rose still had a use for her. Anything to keep Victor alive._

The first time Gloria ever entered the Slumbering Weald, she was 12 and scared of her own shadow. She only had a borrowed metang, a bag full of pokéballs, and shiny new rotom phone.

It went badly.

Rose was predictably disappointed, his stare enough to make something in Gloria’s stomach shrivel up.

_“I can’t possibly place all the blame on you.” He said smoothly. “The Weald has been untouched for hundreds of years. There must be something powerful making it’s home there. Perhaps a territorial gothitelle? Or maybe a colony of beheeyem? I also heard rumors of a powerful espeon making it’s home somewhere in Galar…” He chuckled. “How novel, a pokémon of all things halting the progress of the future.”_

_Gloria stayed silent._

It was amazing either of them even made it this far, she mused as they pressed further into the forest.

“Schilly! Come on, answer me! What are you doing here?” Hop pressed.

Gloria dragged a hand down her face. “Work.” She said shortly. “Gotta make money somehow.”

“Yeah, but in the Weald? You’re gonna get killed!”

She whirled around to face him. “Drop it.” She hissed. “It’s none of your business what I have to do to survive.” She threw her hands up. “Guess what? After mum died, I didn’t have any money! I was dirt poor! I’m _still_ dirt poor!”

If she was being perfectly honest, Gloria was a little disappointed. Well, she’s always been the mean twin after all.

Hop was taken aback, gaping at her with wide eyes.

“Just,” She waved her hand. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be outta your hair soon anyway.”

“That a promise?” He grumbled. “Schilly, I _missed you_! What happened? Where’s Victor?”

“Who’s Victor?” She grumbled back, playing dumb. “Who’s Schilly? My name is Gloria.”

“…Did you change your name again?”

“Wha-no!” ~~Schil~~ Gloria snapped. “I-I mean—” She turned and shoved her fist in her mouth to muffle a scream of frustration.

She turned back around, perfectly composed. “Just call me Gloria.”

“Okay… _Gloria._ ” Hop muttered. Are you okay?”

“Yes, fine.” Gloria said distractedly, scanning the trees. “Let’s just fine the wooloo and go, I have stuff to do later.”

“Like kick down fences…” Hop muttered petulantly.

Gloria moved to step on his foot, only to remember that her boots were also back at the house. She was still wearing the soft-soled slippers from Victor’s room. Damn, no wonder her foot hurt so much after kicking down that fence. 

“I told you, it wasn’t me.” She lied. Something weird was echoing through the trees. It was too flute-like to be any of the normal cries from the local pokémon. Maybe those rumors Rose told her about had some merit after all.

Still, it made her hair stand on end. It sounded almost like….howling.

“How do you even know your way around here anyway?” Hop asked, squinting in the fog.

“Silph Scope. Cuts through the fog.”

_Which was also in my bag! I’m gonna smack the shite outta that nurse the next time I see her._

“A _Silph Scope_?!” He said incredulously. “Those things are ancient!”

“Shut up, I know that!” Gloria snapped, her cheeks turning pink. “If it works, it works!”

She decided to not mention that it refused to turn on unless she smacked it hard enough.

That sound still lingered at the back of her head as she continued forward, Hop a few steps behind, and eyeing scorbunny warily, who had climbed up to sit on her shoulders. Every so often she would slow down, and Hop would slam into her back with a hiss, but she _swore_ she could hear it, chasing the sound and straining her ears.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Hop demanded after he collided with her back for the 4th time.

“SHH!” Gloria hissed, and looked around. Sure enough, without Hop’s yammering in the background, it was clearer this time, whistling through the trees and making Gloria feel electrified.

This was what Rose wanted her to find. She was sure of it.

She took off, scorbunny sensing her excitement and squeaking loudly.

“Schilly, wait!” Hop yelled, stumbling after her, but she wasn’t listening. She was chasing her prize with predatory glee, leaping over roots, and rocks skidding out of her way. Her slippers were beaten beyond repair at this point, but she didn’t care.

She could f _eel_ herself getting closer, the fog getting so thick that she could barely see the branches that dipped low enough to smack her in the face, and she let them, spitting out a mouthful of leaves and feeling the harsh thump of her feet beating against the earth.

Something big loomed in the distance, as tall, no _taller t_ han her, with a giant mane of fur thick enough for her to sink her arm all the way up to the elbow, and the rich color of blood. She skidded to a stop, her toes skimming the edge of a stone bridge over a shallow river. There was another one there too, slightly behind the first one, with pure, blue fur, and two pink braids of hair twining in the air.

She could only stare, the air charged with something powerful and strange. The red pokémon regarded her with a scarily probing look, like she was being x-rayed, flayed open for all to see.

“HOLY FUCK!” Hop yelled, making Gloria jump.

He was breathing hard, sweat clinging to his brow, but his eyes burned with either fear or anticipation as he stared at the legendary pokémon before him.

Fight or flight?

Gloria grinned, all teeth and feral edges before yelling, “Ember!”

Scorbunny obeyed immediately and leapt from Gloria’s shoulders before firing off a small flame.

Logically, Gloria knew that she probably wouldn’t be able to even a _nnoy_ either of them, scorbunny was practically a newborn at this point, but it was a great way to gauge what she was dealing with. However, scorbunny’s attack quite literally went _through_ it, the figure rippling like she disturbed the surface of a smooth pond.

 _Now would be a good time to use that Silph Scope._ She thought bitterly.

“Again! Use tackle this time!” Maybe it could only be hurt by physical moves…

Nope. Scorbunny sailed right through it again, hitting a tree hard enough to make it shake.

_Ah shite._

“Scorbunny!” Gloria cried.

She stepped forward, only for that haunting howl to ring through the trees, the red one throwing it’s head back. It fixed her with a strange look, like it was waiting for something. Time stood still for a few moments as they stared at each other, everything else fading into the background.

“What _are_ you…” Gloria breathed, locking eyes with it.

A wall of even thicker fog than before rolled in and she collapsed, her hand outstretched for scorbunny.

-

-

-

_“And you said she did it all by herself?” A faceless man asked._

_“Now would I lie about such a thing?” Rose said jovially, patting Gloria on the shoulder. “Little Gloria here is a diligent worker if I’ve ever seen one.”_

_Gloria, with a weird sticky feeling in her gut, beamed up at Rose._

_“Of course, if Gloria wasn’t such a good worker, she’d be useless to me.” He said pleasantly to the faceless man. “The only reason I took pity on her in the first place, was because I needed someone expendable to do my dirty work.”_

_“Of course, Chairman.” Gloria said blankly._

_“See? Even responds to the name I gave her like a good little lapdog.” The hand on her shoulder tightened. “After all, what good is a dog that doesn’t obey it’s master?”_

_-_

Gloria shot up with a screech, her chest heaving, and her body slick with cold sweat. She was shaking like a leaf, and hunched over herself, knees coming up to her chest, and burying her head between them.

Her hands buried themselves into her hair, and tugged harshly, the pain grounding her in the moment.

_Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream, just a dream! Pull yourself together!_

“Oh gods, Gloria, you okay?” Someone asked, and two tentative hands came to rest on her arms.

_That better not be who I think it is…._

She looked up slightly, steadily meeting Leon’s gaze with her own glare.

“Get _off_ of me.” She growled, her teeth bared.

Leon flinched and released her.

Gloria was beyond caring what she looked like at this point. There were leaves in her hair, she could feel the dirt caked on her feet, and flecks of ice on her clothes. Privately, Gloria was a little pleased with herself for not slipping. But she wanted to go home and take a shower and forget that this day ever happened.

“Where’s my pokémon?” Gloria demanded next once Leon let her go. She stumbled to her feet, ignoring the nauseating way her head was spinning, and how her legs shook like she was a newborn deerling.

“Gloria are you sure—”

“Touch me again _champion_ , and I will claw up your pretty face.” She snapped, plunging her hand into her pocket, and coming back up with her housekey between her knuckles, brandishing it like a weapon. “Where. Is. Scorbunny.” 

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!” Hop yelped, jumping in between them.

“Where’s my fucking pokémon then?!” She cried. Her hands were shaking un equal parts anger and fear. “If anything happened to her, I swear to _Arceus themself—"_

“Stop threatening my brother!” Hop said angrily, and reached for the fist holding the keys, only for Gloria to bat him away.

“Stop touching me!” She screeched, her skin pulsing with fire where Hop grazed her knuckles.

“Then listen.” Leon said coolly, his voice losing its friendliness. “If you did that, then you would’ve been able to hear me say that your scorbunny is resting. I gave her a potion and she decided to take a nap.”

He pointed behind him, where scorbunny was slumped on top of a wooloo, Leon’s Charizard standing over both of them protectively.

Gloria felt a bit stupid. She buried it under another layer of aggression. She was even angrier than before, her prize slipping through her fingers like sand. Her stomach was leaden as she imagined what she would have to say to Rose.

-

-

Gloria’s Kills Her Brother

Starring: Schildemelia Tate as Gloria Tate

Oscar Rose as Chairman Rose

Oleana Betony as Doctor Betony

-

_[GLORIA TATE enters the office with obvious trepidation. Seated behind the large oak desk is CHAIRMAN ROSE, and standing off to the side is DOCTOR BETONY]_

GLORIA: Good evening sir.

CHAIRMAN ROSE: My dear Gloria! How are you? What progress have you made in the Slumbering Weald? [ _he laughs_ ] don’t tell me that after 3 years you _still_ haven’t gotten any closer to what I wanted you to find?

GLORIA: [ _gives him a dazzling smile_ ] I’m sorry to say that I’ve only made minimal progress in the three years you’ve given me to work. I’m afraid that I’m just too incompetent! [ _she laughs_ ] I am so desperate to be useful to you and to keep my brother alive, that I wandered around that stupid forest for years!

CHAIRMAN ROSE: Well that is a shame! I guess I’ll be sending you to back to your backwater town after all!

_[CHAIRMAN ROSE pulls out a sheet of paper]_

CHAIRMAN ROSE: I guess it’s time for me to sign the order to pull the plug! It’s a shame, really. It’s not like I enjoy punishing you, Gloria.

[ _GLORIA falls to her knees and wails in anguish]_

GLORIA: NOOOOO!

-

-

 _This is stupid._ Gloria grumbled internally and shook herself out of the ridiculous scene. She folded the thought into a tiny square and tucked into a small corner of her brain to dissect later.

Gloria was still boiling over with anger but clamped a tight lid on it as she fixed her face with a shiny plastic smile.

“Oh! How careless of me!” She said, tucking her key back into her pocket. “My mistake then. I should be going, don’t want to miss my train and all!” She gave a girlish little giggle, that felt like she was forcing shards of glass down her throat.

Leon sighed, used to her whiplash-inducing attitude. Gloria carefully laid to rest the sharp edges of her anger, pumice against her rough exterior, polishing it into something palatable.

Hop however, gaped at her emotional flip-turn. “What?! You’re not even gonna apologize?!”

“Hop.” Leon hissed. “Just leave it.”

“You’re right.” Gloria said, mock-pensively, and inclined her head. “I’m sorry for blowing up at you earlier. It was severely unwarranted, and I should’ve kept a better hold on my emotions.”

Hop inhaled sharply, but Gloria turned away before he could say anything, her expression immediately falling, and hurried over to where scorbunny was resting. Leon’s charizard growled at her, but she growled back, making it falter.

Weaving around it, she gently scooped scorbunny up and watched as scorbunny’s eyes blinked up at her blearily.

“Hey there.” She whispered. “Sorry about everything. I had no idea it would be as a strong as it was.”

Scorbunny squeaked at her weakly, and shrugged, as if to say _no big deal_.

“That reminds me,” Gloria murmured. “I should nickname you, shouldn’t I?”

Scorbunny’s ears perked up at that, suddenly alert.

“How about….Flicker?”

Scorbunny shook her head.

“Ok…um….BunBun?”

If anything, scorbunny shook her head harder, making an affronted squeak at the cutesey-ness of the name.

Gloria chuckled, something sharp in her chest breaking off and smoothing over. “Alright then, nothing cute…Stokes?”

Scorbunny considered it. Then nodded.

Gloria’s face broke out into a real smile, her anger subsiding, if only for a moment, pleased at getting something right. “Alright then, Stokes it is.”

She could faintly hear Hop and Leon talking behind her.

“Fuck…” She muttered. There was no way she was going to be able to sneak around them.

She palmed the second pokéball on her waist.

She felt the familiar sensation of Prince stirring against her mind, and the pokéball popped open, a small ralts stumbling over his gown as he materialized next to her.

“Hey there, Princey.” She crooned, bending down so that she could stroke his head. “Can you get us out of here?”

He purred his affirmation, and the world tilted sickeningly around them, warping until Gloria’s feet found solid ground again, outside her house.

“Blrgh.” She groaned, clutching her head, her vision swimming. Stokes mirrored her expression with one of her own, both of their faces vaguely green.

Prince chirped something unintelligible before retreating back into his ball, the faint impression of pride tugging at Gloria’s mind.

 _You did well._ She thought, _thank you._

Another push, before the presence faded.

She took a deep breath, squishing her anger down, down, down, packing it between her palms like coarse brown sugar, and tossing it somewhere far behind her. It would come crawling back later, but for now she was content with compartmentalizing.

_Smile!_

Gloria’s face split open, like a crack in smooth alabaster.

-

Date: January 20th, XX19

Gloria haphazardly tossed clothes and supplies into her bag without looking, desperate to not miss the train.

It was early morning, and if Gloria wanted to avoid Leon and Hop, she would need to board the 6am train to the Wild Area.

She could feel Prince nudging against her mind, feebly urging her to go back to sleep.

_ Tired. _

_Where were you yesterday when I was tearing up the Weald?_ She grumbled back.

_ Tired.  _

_Should’ve named you Morpheus instead. Maybe Sleeping Beauty._ She teased, carefully folding Oleana’s present and placing it in a fabric dress bag, before hanging it in her closet. She’d come back for it later, when she could confidently stand in front of the Lotus Stadium.

Hopefully, Rose still wanted her around by then.

As if on cue, her phone rang.

“Bzzt! Incoming call from Rose!” Rotom said, zipping out from under a pile of shirts.

Gloria pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose. “Put him on.” She sighed, dragging a hand through her hair, snagging on a tangle.

“ _Good morning Gloria! I see you’re awake early.”_

“Hoping to catch the early train to make it to Motostoke sooner.” She said with fake pep, pulling the drawstring on her bag taut. “So I’ll be heading out soon.”

_“Camping gear all packed? I personally love fishing down at South Lake Miloch. I’ve heard you can see a full grown milotic if you’re lucky!”_

“Is that so?” Gloria said, measuring out water for her clunky old coffee machine.

 _“Galar’s natural beauty is truly something, isn’t it, Gloria?”_ Rose sighed wistfully.

Gloria grunted, and poured herself a cup of tar-black coffee.

_“Ah, I have another call incoming. I’ll see you at the opening ceremony, Gloria.”_

“Of course—” The line went dead, cutting her off.

Gloria wanted to cut his unmentionables off. 

“Piece of shit, at least wait for me to finish my sentence first.” She muttered as rotom wriggled out of her grip and soared into her pocket.

Gloria was better dressed for the cold this time, with an old purple-and-green varsity jacket over a white shirt, black jeans, and a white scally cap.

_ The cap look silly.  _

Gloria scowled. _What’s with you this morning? You’re not usually this talkative. And shut up, I like this hat!_

_ I’m excited. I want to battle.  _

“That’s a first. Normally you whine if I even have the fleeting thought of using you.” Gloria snorted, lacing her boots up, and hiking her bag over her shoulders. “What’s the weather in the wild area, I wanna know if I should pack a good tent.”

_ What do I look like, an espeon? _

“You literally grew up in a lab, I’m pretty sure you have some sort of chemical imbalance or something that makes you a walking barometer.” Gloria retorted.

 _….there’s a rainstorm near the entrance to Motostoke. I’d bring something waterproof._ He sounded petulant.

Gloria smiled teasingly. “Thank you, Princey.”

A sharp pain flared up behind her eyes before quickly disappearing.

Gloria clapped a hand over her face. “Ow! Unnecessary!”

-

It was pitch dark when Gloria finally left the house, Stokes sitting on her shoulders, and Prince in her arms. The sky was blanketed by thick gray clouds that were heavy with impending rain. Her trek was quiet, only occasionally punctuated by Prince narrating their path, or Stokes jumping up to pounce on a rustling patch of grass.

The station was deserted by the time she arrived, the only people there being the staff, and bleary-eyed drifters that somehow ended up In Leon Dande’s hometown.

“Where you headed this early in the morning, girlie?” The ticket lady asked, loudly popping her bubblegum.

“Wild Area.”

The lady raised a thin eyebrow pierced with a silver barbell. “Good luck kid.” She glanced behind her. “Here,” She reached behind her desk and pulled out a lumpy package. it’s always good to have a few of these on hand.”

Hesitantly, Gloria took it from her and ripped it open.

Three pokédolls tumbled out, their delicate faces smiling blithely. Gloria stared.

“There’re some reeeeal strong pokémon out there.” The lady explained, examining her electric green nails. “If you bite off more’n ya can chew, the doll’ll distract them long enough for ya to get away.”

Wordlessly, Gloria gathered the dolls from the ground and stuffed them in her bag.

“….thank you.” She muttered.

“Yeah, yeah, just don’t get mauled out there.” The lady said dismissively.

Gloria nodded stiffly, and stumbled over to sit on one of the benches. Stokes make a sound in the back of her throat, and poked at Gloria, her face scrunched up in worry.

“I’m fine.” Gloria muttered. “Just…tired.”

Stokes started to protest, but Prince shook his head.

_ Don’t. She’ll tell you at her own pace. _

Gloria gently stroked her ears. “I promise it’s nothing bad. Just…weird memories. But it’s also complicated and personal. Not really a conversation for a place like this.”

A pleasant chime echoed from one of the speakers. _“Train bound for the Wild Area has arrived. Please watch your step.”_

Gloria’s mouth turned up at the corners. She sat up and clapped her hands together, making Prince grumble. “But hey! Not need to worry about that! Our train’s here now, so Wild Area, here we come!”

Stokes squinted at her, but Prince shook his head again. His horn glowed slightly, indicating that he was talking to her. After a moment, Stokes finally relented, her ears drooping. 

“What’d you tell her?” Gloria asked suspiciously once they had taken their seats. The train was nearly empty except for them, the only other seat being taken up by a snoring business man who probably forgot to get off at Motostoke. Stokes had moved from her shoulders to the seat next to her, and Prince had stayed stubbornly in her lap.

_ Just assuaged her worries. Now leave me alone, I’m going to take a nap.  _

“That’s not cryptic at all.” Gloria grumbled. “And you better be awake by the time we get there, I don’t have a map.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have severe galar brainrot. I promise I'll get out more chapters of locum tenens eventually lol, but I need to get this out of my system first! I also posted this immediately after I finished it, so sorry for any mistakes until I can get my beta to look at it

**Author's Note:**

> fuck it *posts the trans girl gloria fic* I write for myself, and myself alone.


End file.
